Basic Information

Expressive language involves the ability to express one’s thoughts. Some children can easily understand what is said to them, but they have difficulties when they try to form a response and express themselves.

Expressive language disorders can also be acquired (occurring as a result of brain damage/injury), as in-aphasia. The developmental type is more common in children, whereas the acquired type is more common in the elderly. An expressive language disorder could occur in a child of normal intelligence, or it could be a component of a condition affecting mental functioning more broadly (i.e. autism).

Symptoms

Symptoms of expressive language disorder differ from one child to the next and depend on the child’s age and the degree of the impairment. Common symptoms include:

Making grammatical errors, leaving off words (such as helper verbs) and using poor or incomplete sentence structure (for example, ‘He going work’ instead of ‘He’s going to work’ and ‘I talk’ instead of ‘I can talk’)

Using noticeably fewer words and sentences than children of a similar age

Using shorter, simpler sentence construction than children of a similar age

Having a limited and more basic vocabulary than children of a similar age

Frequently having trouble finding the right word

Using non-specific vocabulary such as ‘this’ or ‘thing’

Using the wrong words in sentences or confusing meaning in sentences

Relying on standard phrases and limited content in speech

Sounding hesitant when attempting to converse

Repeating (or ‘echoing’) a speaker’s words

Being unable to come to the point or talking in circles

Having problems with retelling a story or relaying information in an organised or cohesive way

Being unable to start or hold a conversation and not observing general rules of communicating with others

Having difficulty with oral and written work, and school assignments.

Treatment

Treatment options depend on the severity of the impairment. Treatment may include:

Group sessions with a speech pathologist

Individual therapy sessions with a speech pathologist

School-based language intervention programs

Assistance from special education teachers

Teacher’s aide support for children with severe language impairment

Speech pathology sessions combined with home programs that parents can use with their child

DIagnosis

If your child is having difficulties with speaking or expressive language, have his or her language skills assessed by a speech pathologist (speech therapist). Do not delay an assessment, because your child may miss many months of important therapy. It is also important to have your child’s hearing assessed.

Speech pathologists perform specific assessments to identify the areas of language that a child finds difficult. These assessments are not stressful for the child, and parents are usually present during these consultations.

Speech pathologists may also recommend:

An auditory processing test (this is different to a standard hearing test)

A test for learning difficulties (for school-aged children)

An assessment of cognitive function (thinking and intelligence by a registered psychologist.